Shane 'Shakey' Byrne claimed the opening MCE Insurance British
Superbike Championship race win at Cadwell Park, forcing his way
through on Leon Haslam at Chris Curve on the final lap to emerge
victorious by just 0.272s.

Byrne had initially hit the lead on the opening lap but only
marginally from Haslam with Richard Cooper and Jason O'Halloran
tucked in behind. The JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider wasn't prepared to
sit in second place though and made a dive down the inside at Park
to take the lead on lap one.

The battle for third was intense between Cooper and O'Halloran
and on the third lap the pair traded places three times before the
Honda Racing rider emerged ahead. The Australian then had his
sights set on the pair ahead and he hunted them as he bid for a
podium finish at the team's home round.

Lee Jackson was running inside the top six when he crashed out
unhurt at Charlies, but at the front Haslam had a moment which
dropped him back behind Byrne and O'Halloran. He was soon fighting
back though and moved back into second just two laps later.

Dan Linfoot had his race ended prematurely when he crashed out
at the Chicane unhurt, losing ground in the battle for the top six
in the Showdown as the chasing pack bid to catch up ahead of the
Oulton Park decider.

Tommy Bridewell was carving his way through the field and by the
end of lap eight he had made a move on Cooper with a decisive move
through Hall Bends.

Haslam regained the lead on the ninth lap and he held the
advantage from Byrne and a gaining O'Halloran, but the championship
leader was pushing to make a move. He waited until the final lap
and made a lunge down the inside at Chris Curve which was enough to
move to the front and then fend off the counter attack until the
finish. O'Halloran scored a podium finish at his local round after
defending hard against Bennetts Suzuki's Bridewell.

Glenn Irwin had another strong performance to finish in fifth
place ahead of James Ellison and JG Speedfit Kawasaki team-mate
Peter Hickman with Cooper dropping to eighth at the chequered
flag.

Rookie Jake Dixon was back inside the top ten, forging ahead of
Michael Laverty on the sole Tyco BMW after Christian Iddon crashed
out unhurt at the top of the Mountain.